Tottenham Hotspur have potentially driven another nail into Erik ten Hag's Manchester United coffin thanks to a 3-0 win over the abject 10-man Red Devils at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke all found the net at the Theatre of Dreams, where Bruno Fernandes's first red card for Man United rubbed salt into the wounds for the disenchanted home supporters, many of whom headed for the exits well before full time.
The cacophony of boos told the story as the half-time whistle blew, as Tottenham trudged into the changing rooms with a one-goal advantage to their name, but it could and almost certainly should have been more.
Ange Postecoglou's team needed just 155 seconds to make their mark on the Old Trafford turf, as Micky van de Ven produced a Usain Bolt-esque sprint from inside his own half before teeing up Johnson for the simplest of tap-ins.
In terms of a response from the Red Devils, there was not one. Ten Hag's men lost the ball at will, struggled to string a few passes together and were thankful that Tottenham were being their own worst enemies in the final third.
The hosts' uphill struggle became all the more difficult when Fernandes took the walk of shame for a high tackle on James Maddison, although it was not exactly a crunching challenge from the midfielder, who slipped before catching his opponent with an outstretched leg, albeit with studs up.
The 1-0 scoreline flattered Man United at half time, but Spurs would belatedly double their lead within two minutes of the restart, as Johnson went from scorer to provider for an unorthodox Kulusevski volley.
Cries of "You're getting sacked in the morning!" bellowed out from the jubilant away end, who would have a third goal to cheer late on, when Solanke got in behind a frozen Man United backline to poke home from a corner.
Hundreds if not thousands of home fans had caught an early train home before the final whistle, which was greeted with even more jeers by those that stayed for the full show, as the Red Devils languish in a dismal 12th place while Spurs rise to eighth on the back of their fourth straight win in all tournaments.
MAN UNITED VS. TOTTENHAM HIGHLIGHTS
Brennan Johnson goal vs. Man United (3rd min, Man United 0-1 Tottenham)
A lightning fast start from Tottenham ⚡
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
Micky van de Ven with an unbelievable run and he makes no mistake putting it on a plate for Brennan Johnson 💥 pic.twitter.com/8KubHjAm2U
Johnson gets the final touch, but this goal is all about the electrifying Micky van de Ven, who produces the best solo run from a centre-back that Gary Neville has ever seen in his life!
The Dutchman win the ball back inside his own half thanks to a poor touch from Marcus Rashford and puts the afterburners on, leaving several red shirts for dead as he surges into the Man United penalty area.
Van de Ven's ball across the six-yard box is on the money for Johnson, who is completely unmarked at the back post and cannot miss from a yard out. Terrible from Rashford, tremendous from Van de Ven, Tottenham lead.
Bruno Fernandes red card vs. Tottenham (42nd min, Man United 0-1 Tottenham)
A straight red for Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United are down to 10! 🟥 pic.twitter.com/44Z7OMPrNI
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
A first red card for the Red Devils captain in his career, although one can maybe feel a shred of sympathy for him. The Portuguese slips as he tries to tackle Maddison and sticks his leg up as he falls down, which sees his high boot catch the Tottenham playmaker on the leg with his studs up. Chris Kavanagh pulls out the straight red.
Dejan Kulusevski goal vs. Man United (47th min, Man United 0-2 Tottenham)
"Spurs EASE clear!"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
Tidy from Kulusevski 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/2QijaLh9U5
Spurs should have been out of sight at half time, but just two minutes into the second 45 and they surely are now! Lisandro Martinez dives in to try to stop Johnson halfway up the pitch and loses the duel, giving the Welshman acres of space to run into.
The scorer of Spurs' first cuts back to Kulusevski with the aid of a Matthijs de Ligt deflection, and the Swede improvises with a lovely flicked volley into the far corner. Game over.
Dominic Solanke goal vs. Man United (77th min, Man United 0-3 Tottenham)
Dominic Solanke pokes it home! ⚪ pic.twitter.com/VP5eueB2iF
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
Christian Eriksen had just taken two set-pieces that did not beat the first man, and the Dane is given a lesson in dead-ball taking by Lucas Bergvall, whose perfect corner leads to a third for Tottenham.
The Swede's delivery is flicked into the corridor of uncertainty by Pape Sarr, and Solanke ghosts past a stagnant Man United backline to prod in the Lilywhites' third on the stretch.
MAN OF THE MATCH - MICKY VAN DE VEN
© Imago
The good old days of creating your own player on FIFA and giving them 99 pace - Micky van de Ven had the look of an overpowered virtual athlete as he left five or six Man United shirts for dead with an astounding run from inside his own half to set up Johnson.
The Dutchman did not have a lot to do defensively, but he did what was required of him with consummate ease and was a worthy pick. A word for Dejan Kulusevski, though, who was also magical throughout.
MAN UNITED VS. TOTTENHAM MATCH STATS
Possession: Man United 39%-61% Tottenham
Shots: Man United 11-24 Tottenham
Shots on target: Man United 2-10 Tottenham
Corners: Man United 5-3 Tottenham
Fouls: Man United 16-14 Tottenham
BEST STATS
Manchester United have failed to score in the first-half of 5/6 Premier League games this season - no other side has failed to do so more often. 🙃#MUNTOT pic.twitter.com/49byR74Crj
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) September 29, 2024
4 - Manchester United captains to be sent off in a Premier League game at Old Trafford:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 29, 2024
Roy Keane v Man City, Apr 2001
Nemanja Vidic v Liverpool, Mar 2014
Wayne Rooney v West Ham, Sep 2014
Bruno Fernandes v Tottenham, Sep 2024
Errant. pic.twitter.com/axVdKvhCbW
1 - For the first time in his 242 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions, Bruno Fernandes has been given a red card. Dismissed. pic.twitter.com/bGud0WlB3z
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 29, 2024
3 - Dominic Solanke is only the third English player to score in three successive Premier League appearances against Man Utd, after Jermain Defoe in November 2002 and Bukayo Saka in January 2023. Magic. pic.twitter.com/WkIiZcKvHl
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 29, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
Man United only have three days to dissect what went so horribly wrong before a tough assignment in the Europa League away to Porto on Thursday, where another pitiful performance could spell serious danger for Ten Hag.
Spurs are also back in continental action on October 3, as they travel to Hungarian side Ferencvaros before a Premier League clash away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, the same day that Man United travel to Aston Villa.
Ben Knapton
